New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-16
a KNoW-NOTHING WITNESS.
xn vpv,Ns DISPLAYS HIS IGNORANCE. :
WHAT THE CHIEF OF THE BRooKLfN flhn
n.,r,,rxr KNOWS ABOUT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

- .uv rurrr OF THE BROOKLYN FIRE DE-
pARrMENr KNOWS ABOUT ELECTRIC Lidhis o,a
r,. macon Investigating Committee thresnou o
draw in Brooklyn yesterday ana got hsu Ill.,, wsrc
go threc OF the five committeeman again "
,,.s.ut Thomas r. Smith completed MS eVioe".0 80,
r.rara 10 the purchase Of the County far' an.
anno,ntment as superintendent Oh IL. i :, eho
ne was entitled to all he got rom INC oy ,,.ow,n
proporty to the county. joseph W. S..,t,.s and
n,,,,o,n ubo was q Commissioner Oh 0h"ii'''' "
p.o~n. when the purchase Of the farm was mao
.o,od the testimony he had before given a' O"0
.n,,os,iratlon Of the matter by the Boaro Vi up
sors. The St. Johnand site was seie S ,D he
:. hnnn be reached by water as well as Wy n with
~ eV S,b 10 hep him because he was ianiaI WIN h
The REGION but smith was heN et tnH i{ccanec he
ssou,cd hin, 10 be thoroughly upright ano h0he Si
man. and stll believed SO; lie r ,Sn aerm His
prca saved tho county $4,000, and he got t
sSOaS for his work securing the property co On sc
S com Mr. Reeves said with much carnestness
wish this N mite sm sSas neither ELMER dirsey
SSuy a.sT or nSy purchase
aas broadly as s Ss sss 1 oHe dollar or
her the OF supervisors G any Valuable thing
o The n The n'A s
O. n,oaa A. The English language can make them
j. GaynOr cxpamea the way In u % nrSner ~ at
oasy Island than was put the deed e shower
that tho figures were put ms cot the prop
srtS and Hobby had TO pay tho extra slooo TO
smftcr Tho latter corroboratsd this ., am ord
ou Thc electric light matter was then taken up an"
S,hieS Engineer Nevns of the Fire Department, wa a.
,t on the witness-stand. he proved az lsn9l .
about the matter other Democratic 0ce ~ he
Sove been about the matters they arc spposoo w W
.srsant with He was first asked about tho wiles
in the streets and the obstruction they caused .o
,rorG NJ aremen He objected TO all overhead %nes
no said and had consulted with COn mss d
Tsrtrdge i'm regard to having them put on ono e w
Of the Street only He had dono nothing In ssaM ,tS
sessenino the number Of wires ana had never
with any public officials about the matter 6 ne
then asked about his personal reiaop, r~o psrlct
Telegraph Company, In both Of which no noias ~ M
~ cond not Give the details OF how he came 10 pe
, sne in them. His fellow directors In the
tttt,sns, Company were "Boss" Mclaughlin, Anthony
barrett John Demar and Charles Cooper ..+ Inc ne
company had franchise from inc Guy ,s 20 c treiS
n the Streets He had never seen the contract Mr.
Cooper was president Of the company and told MN
about it. lie thought ths company got 800 600
wear from the city. The private nghtne wts mOIo
nrontable but this was the largest contract. The
witness unable to give any details ot the business
OF tho company despite the searching questions put
to hin. lie could tell even less about the BrGo .
District Telegraph Company and was told to INFORM
himself about both corporations to be prepared "
talk inteIigenly to the committee regarding 'nem
to-day.